Stormy State of Mind
by moonjat54
Summary: Steve's decision to clear his head by taking a hike with a storm system on the horizon becomes a major mistake. Will his team learn he is in trouble or will he have to overcome his injuries and get to safety on his own? And can he settle the worries that sent him out on that trail in the first place?
1. Chapter 1

**Stormy State of Mind**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii 5-0. I receive no profit from this story, only writer's satisfaction.**

**Hello, I am back with a new idea. I have decided to see what trouble I could get Steve into on another hiking trail on Oahu. Since I have never been to Hawaii I am writing only from the information that I got on a state park site. From there I am exercising a writer's prerogative to alter the facts to fit what I want in my story. My apologies to any who have actually been on the trail and don't recognize it. This story is set somewhere between the season 4 finale and the premier of season 5. As always, thanks for reading.**

Chapter 1

Standing on his lanai, staring out at the ocean, Steve McGarrett felt as unsettled as the cloudy sky above. His mood was dark and the pressure he felt inside was almost a physical pain. He needed to do something to regain some balance in his life, the past few weeks had tilted him into long stretches of brooding.

Ever since he had returned from the botched affair in Afghanistan, he had felt unsettled and his down times had left him pensive. Worked filled his days and kept him busy and on an even keel but the nights and days off were a different story. Knowing that Catherine was alone in that distant country without backup and seeking a boy she might never find ate at him. He felt he needed to be with her no matter what the Navy and CIA had declared. Returning to Oahu had not been his call but he had been in no shape to argue after what he had experienced at the hands of his captors and at least the phone calls and texts from Cath had kept him in touch with her. She had insisted she was okay and he had responsibilities here in the islands to attend to. No matter what she said it had left a bitter taste in his mouth to have her all alone over there.

To make matters worse it had now been three weeks since he had any contact with Catherine and he was running out of reasonable excuses as to her silence. A sick feeling had taken up residence in his gut and Steve was afraid to put his fears for her in words to anyone. And this grey Saturday, he had the urge to do something physical to work off the stress that was building inside him. Taking a long swim had crossed his mind but that didn't appeal to him today and he decided that a demanding hike was a better solution.

Going inside the house he changed into a T-shirt and cargo shorts and put on a pair of sturdy boots. He found a backpack he kept ready for a hike and loaded in a few bottles of water before heading out to his truck. As he drove towards the Nakoa Trail that was his choice for this hike he heard the radio announce that there was a storm system that was approaching the Windward side of the island and expected to hit in around four to five hours. That news didn't worry Steve as he was confident that he could complete his hike and be off the trail before the weather turned for the worse. The impending storm was only one more challenge that he was ready to meet and McGarrett was not in the mood to have his plans changed by over-reactive weather predictors. He continued his drive to the Ahupua'a O Kahana State Park.

Pulling into the parking lot at the Nakoa Trail, Steve shut off the engine and sat silently behind the wheel for a moment. The sky was darker on this side of the island but so far there was no rain. He still felt he could complete the hike since he had been on this trail many times in the past. Perhaps he was overconfident but Steve rarely doubted his physical abilities and he was not going to start today.

Staring at the near empty parking lot, Steve found his thoughts going back to Catherine even though the purpose of this exercise was to clear his mind. He hated how much he let his worries for her to control his moods. He understood her feelings of obligation to Najib and his family…hell he approved of her decision but it didn't completely remove the sting of her choosing to stay behind and not return with him. He had become accustomed to having her around and her absence had left him with a surprising void in his life. He wanted to go back and get her but he knew he had left 5-0 alone, to function without him on other occasions while he pursued his own reasons and couldn't do it again. It wasn't fair to keep asking Danny, Chin, Kono and now Lou to hold the team together while he chased his personal demons even though they would not complain.

Leaning forward, he rested his forehead on the steering wheel and sighed. Internal stress had been building so long he couldn't pretend it didn't exist. Why had he waited until Cath was on the other side of the world before he told her he loved her? He had always assumed she knew and he felt she loved him as well but they had both been too stubborn to say the words out loud. Now she was gone, out of touch and he was as lost as when his father had sent him away from home so long ago.

The loss of Catherine was only magnified by the knowledge that Wo Fat was back and waiting to strike again. And why did his mother remain distant from him but went to visit his enemy in prison? He couldn't look away from the anger he felt towards Doris, she left him with more questions than answers and he hated it. What kind of woman fakes her death and leaves her husband and children to wonder why their lives were torn apart? Steve had reached the point he no longer cared if he restored a mother/son relationship with Doris, he only wanted answers from her.

The issue of Wo Fat concerned Steve the least. He knew the man presented a danger but he was a danger that Steve was trained to deal with. Eventually Wo Fat would make his move and Steve was prepared to deal with him at that time. He would bring the man to justice in the end, of that he was sure.

Letting out a second long sigh, Steve straightened up behind the wheel and prepared to move forward. He needed to shake off these nagging worries and finish what he came here to do. It was unacceptable to let these moods rule him and mire him in self pity. He would feel better after he had pushed his body physically; it had always worked that way in the past.

Exiting the truck, he pulled on his back pack and locked the Silverado. As he headed for the sign-in station, Steve noted there was only one other vehicle in the lot, a late model Honda. It crossed his mind that perhaps he should reconsider this as the sky looked darker out to sea but he stubbornly rejected the idea. It also occurred to him that he should have let someone know where he was going but he shook off that idea as well. The team had other plans for their weekend.

Kono had left early on Friday to go to Maui with Adam. Steve was all too aware how little time the couple had together since they had returned Oahu and he had no desire to disturb them. Chin had stated he had plans with Leilani and McGarrett wasn't inclined to call him either. He knew that Grover would have not minded a call but with his in-laws visiting from Chicago the man's wife would not have liked having their time together interrupted.

And then there was Danny. Steve was tempted but then discarded that as well considering the mood his partner had been in this last week. He just was not ready to listen to the rant that would be forthcoming if he called Williams. Something had happened with Amber during the week and Steve had been party to several tirades on how unreliable women were and why it was better to be single over the course of the last few days. This was not the time to try and explain to Danny that he was feeling worried about Catherine's silence, the response was not likely to make him feel any better about the situation. While he really hoped that Danny was working things out with his lady and would be in a better mood on Monday, Steve was not going to contact him and possibly set his partner off on a long lecture. It was time to deal with his problems on his own in his own way.

Shouldering his pack, he headed up the paved road, around the gate and went straight to the sign-in station. The young man at the station looked up from the game he was playing on his phone in annoyance when Steve walked in.

"I want to sign in," Steve announced brusquely.

"Uh…..sir, you do realize that bad weather is on its way in, don't you?" the kid asked. "This is not a trail to be on in a rain storm."

"The rain isn't due for several hours, I'll be off trail by then," Steve said gruffly. He didn't need some college kid telling him what to do. Picking up the clipboard and a pen from the desk, he scribbled his name quickly. "I've hiked this trail many times," he added.

"Sir, I'm supposed to discourage hikers when the weather is expected to become bad," the young man tried again.

Steve's gaze burned into the kid before he dropped his eyes to the nametag pinned to the boy's polo shirt.

"Do you know who I am Zach? I'm Lt. Commander Steve McGarrett of the 5-0 task force. Believe me, I know this trail and I will be off it before the weather turns," he said firmly, setting the clipboard down on the desk and leaving without waiting for a reply.

Zach watched him go without further comment. He was well aware of 5-0 and Commander McGarrett's reputation and he was not about to argue with the guy. Let him go risk his neck on a trail that got treacherous when wet, that wasn't on Zach's head. If the man didn't check out when Zach's shift was over then he would deal with that then. For now he just wanted to get back to his game.

McGarrett pushed onto the trail with a determined pace. His mood had not improved after the exchange with the young man at the station. He didn't need a kid telling him he couldn't handle this trail no matter what the conditions were. The heavy, humid air pressed on him and he had sweated through his T-shirt in short order. The footing was slick and while he was making good time, he was forced to concentrate on where he was walking. The challenge made Steve feel good, he enjoyed the demands being made on his body and he increased his pace.

He was around the halfway mark on the trail when he paused to catch his breath. He was on the bank of one of the many crossings of the Kahana stream that made up the Nakoa trail and he reached into his backpack to pull out a bottle of water. He drank greedily, saving the final quarter of the bottle to pour over his head and wash away the sweat in his eyes. As his breath slowed, he stuffed the empty bottle back in the pack as he scanned the area. The stream was roughly thirty feet and the water was moving faster than normal. A glance at the sky revealed more dark clouds moving faster than they had been before and looked more ominous. It appeared that the storm system was arriving faster than anticipated and he would have to move faster if he didn't want to be caught in the middle of it.

Wading into the stream, he carefully picked his way over and around the rocks that lined the stream bed. Halfway across he looked up as thunder rumbled in the distance and suddenly a vision of Catherine standing on the opposite bank was in front of him. He swore she was waving and smiling at him and then he remembered that they had hiked this trail six months ago. Blinking that picture away, he hurried forward and his right foot slipped off a rock and wedged between it and another. He twisted it, falling forward and catching himself before he landed face first in the stream. Cursing loudly, he pushed up and wrenched his foot out from between the rocks and limped the rest of the way out of the water. Sitting down on the ground, he checked out his ankle and tried to move it side to side. Tightening the laces on his boot gave him some additional support so he could walk on it.

Steve was not happy to discover there was a two inch gash on his right shin. Aware that there were bacteria in the water, he immediately dug out a second bottle of water and a first aid kit that he always carried. Working quickly, he washed the wound out as best he could and then wiped it with an alcohol wipe before applying antiseptic cream and a large bandage. He knew that he would need to deal with this further once he got home; the risk of infection was high.

A second rumble of thunder reminded him that he had other concerns before he could take care of his leg and he gathered up his garbage and put it in his backpack. Steve got to his feet and glanced back across the stream and then up the trail he had yet travelled. He decided to continue on since it was the same distance either way and he would have less water to cross if he went on. A sore ankle was not going to slow him down but he now had a race to beat the oncoming bad weather and he needed to move.

End chapter.

**Thank you for reading. I hope you will continue on with me as we see if Steve can make it off trail.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Stormy State of Mind II**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii 5-0. I just like to play with the characters and have some fun.**

**Thank you all for the wonderful welcome back that you have given me. I hope you enjoy the next chapter as we find out what other trouble Steve can get into.**

Chapter 2

Ignoring the discomfort in his right ankle, Steve kept a steady pace as the light rain continued to fall. There was a few more rumbles of thunder becoming louder the further he went. The trail rose at a sharp incline that had a steep drop off to his left and he knew once he reached the top it would level off for a short while before he would head down to the final portion of the loop. The higher he ascended there were now flashes of lightening in the distance and Steve cursed himself for misjudging the speed this system was moving in to land. While the weather was becoming worse, Steve still felt that he could be off the trail soon and only have a good soaking to show for it. He had no doubt that he could handle the conditions.

As he neared the top of the slope his right foot hit a hole, twisting his all ready sore ankle painfully. As he tried to counter balance by stepping sideways, he placed all his weight on his left leg, very close to the edge of the trail. The wet ground was soft and slick, giving way under him and sending him tumbling down the steep slope. As he rolled down the side, Steve tried to protect his head but made contact with an outcropping of rock, hitting his right shoulder. His arm fell uselessly by his side as he continued to roll, his progress stopping when he struck a koa tree at the bottom of the slope. His head struck the tree trunk leaving a nasty bruise to his left temple and plunging him into unconsciousness. Steve lay deep in the jungle, tall ferns shielding part of his body from the rain that had become more forceful as the storm picked up in fury.

*H 5-0*

The storm had become stronger as Zach Michael's shift ended and he went to the window to look outside, unsure of what he should do next. He was the final shift of the day since the weather had turned and he was responsible for locking the station up. There had been no sign of Commander McGarrett and he looked at the clipboard lying on the desk and wondered if he should call someone about this. He had been caught up in another game on his phone and had not been watching to see if the man had passed the station and not checked out. It was not unusual for hikers to be in such a hurry if bad weather was coming to neglect to check out, more concerned with getting to their cars before they got soaked. By now the Commander should have finished the trail and since the rain had been steady for some time it was likely that the man had just passed the station and not taken time to sign out.

The young man was torn between what he knew were the rules and wanting to get home himself before the storm became worse. He knew that if he called in and reported the Commander missing and it was discovered that the man was home safe it would look bad on his record. No one wanted to go out in weather like this for a wild goose chase. It was not impossible to imagine that the imposing SEAL had decided that he did not need to report in to some kid at the station. If anyone didn't need help it was the task force leader who had seen combat all over the world. Zach could only think how McGarrett had seemed very capable of taking care of himself.

A loud crack of thunder made the kid jump and he grabbed his raincoat, anxious to get out of there and head out to a bar where he knew his buddies were gathered to play pool. He didn't need to wait for the Commander to come off the trail and chew him out for being a wuss about a few raindrops. He figured he could always call it in if McGarrett's vehicle was still in the parking lot. He grabbed the clipboard and checked Commander McGarrett out and set it back down. He was willing to bet that the man had not seen the need to let him know that he was heading home. Locking the station, Zach ran down to the parking lot and climbed into his Honda. He looked around the parking lot and felt relief that there was no other vehicle there. Now he was sure that McGarrett had left without stopping to check out and he didn't have to embarrass himself by calling in a search party for a man who wasn't missing. Putting his car in gear he headed away from the trail, totally unaware there was a different reason that Steve's vehicle wasn't there.

*H 5-0*

The insistent ringing of his phone brought Chin Ho Kelly out of a sound sleep early Sunday morning. He snatched the phone off the bedside table and saw it was Duke Lukela's number.

"Hey Duke, what's up?" he asked quietly as he exited the bedroom and went into the kitchen.

"I hate to bother you but we just got word that two boys rolled a truck near Kahulu'u last night…." Duke began to explain.

"Shouldn't that be a local problem Duke?" Chin interrupted.

"Normally it would be but I figured someone from 5-0 should know because they just informed us that the truck involved has been identified as McGarrett's Silverado. We've tried to reach Steve but all calls go straight to voicemail. I tried Danny as well but I've gotten the same result. We've checked McGarrett's home but no one is there. Was Steve planning on being on the East Side yesterday?" Duke asked.

"What!" Chin responded in surprise. "I don't know what Steve's plans were for yesterday but if he isn't answering his phone it could mean he is out for a run or is swimming. That could explain why he wasn't in the house. But I would think he would notice if his truck was missing."

"The house was locked up and there was no sign of him in the water. He could be out for a run but you would think he would have his phone with him," Duke answered. "I just felt that someone from 5-0 needed to know about this. The boys were taken to Queens and were in no condition to be questioned last night. Someone is planning to interview them this morning if they are able to talk."

"Okay, we will need to know how and where they got Steve's truck. That will give us some idea what has happened to Steve," Chin agreed. "I'll call the rest of the team and we will stop by the hospital to see what they have to say."

"Sure thing Chin. I'll let you know if we learn anything before you get there," Duke assured him.

"Thanks Duke," Chin replied before hanging up.

"Is something wrong Chin?" a soft voice asked from the bedroom doorway.

Chin looked over to discover Leilani wrapped in his robe, a worried look on her lovely face.

"Yes…maybe. I don't know for sure. Steve's truck was in an accident last night but he wasn't in it. He's not answering his phone and that means we don't know if something has happened to him," Chin explained.

"So you have to go looking for him. I don't see Steve getting carjacked, he must be in some kind of trouble," Leilani said in concern.

"I hate to just take off on you," Chin said knowing that she still felt a bit uncomfortable in the house he had shared with Malia.

"I'll be fine. Steve needs you. Just call me when you know more," she urged.

Chin nodded and then paused.

"I'd better get dressed," he said moving towards her.

"I think so," Leilani giggled and blushed as he paused to kiss her before moving past her into the room.

Once he had dressed, Chin tried to reach Danny but was only able to get his voicemail as Duke had.

"Danny, call me. Steve's truck had been in an accident but Steve was not involved. We can't get him on the phone and he is not at home. I'm calling Lou and heading into the office before going to the hospital to talk to the kids who were in the accident," Chin said leaving a message.

His next call was to Grover who picked up the phone almost immediately.

"Yea…..what have you got Chin?"

"I just got a call from Duke Lukela and he said that Steve's truck was in an accident last night but that Steve wasn't in it. Apparently two kids were and they rolled it on the Windward side of the island. Duke was unable to reach Steve on the phone and he's not at his house. We need to go to work and see if we can locate him," Chin filled him in.

"Thank God," Lou sighed and then quickly added. "Not that I'm glad Steve is missing but my in-laws are driving me crazy and I'm glad to have a legitimate reason to get out of the house, I'll meet you at headquarters."

"You can thank Steve when we find him," Chin chuckled, understanding Grover's hasty statement. "See you at the office."

After he spoke to Lou, Chin considered calling Kono but hesitated. Adam had confided in him his plans for a romantic weekend on Maui and Kelly didn't want to ruin that for Kono. There was no way that she could get back to Oahu immediately and was scheduled to return this evening anyway. If they had not located Steve by then she could join in the search at that time. After kissing Leilani goodbye he headed out to his bike.

Grover was waiting for him when he arrived at the Palace, studying the accident report on the smart table.

"The boys were speeding south on Highway 83 when they lost control on a wet curve and rolled the truck down an incline. They air lifted both kids to Queens. McGarrett will not be happy when he sees the condition of his truck," Lou related as Chin joined him at the table.

Chin looked at the photos and let out a low whistle.

"It's amazing those two kids are alive," he commented.

"They can be thankful they actually put on their seatbelts and the airbags worked. The idiots are extremely lucky," Lou snorted. "It seems they are both expected to live."

"How did they get Steve's truck?"

"That's the million dollar question. Neither of them was in any condition to answer that last night according to this report. One of them ought to be able to tell us something today. There is no way that these two took the vehicle away from Steve by force, he'd have kicked their asses," Lou observed.

"The report says the keys were not found in the truck. It probably was hotwired," Chin replied as he scanned the report.

"Hey….where is Danny?"

"My call went straight to voicemail. I left him a message."

"Could he be missing with McGarrett?" Lou asked in concern.

"I don't think so," Chin answered with a frown. "Danny said something Friday about needing to fix a mess with Amber. He said Grace was with Rachel this weekend and he hoped to go somewhere quiet and work things out. I doubt he is with Steve but anything is possible." He didn't like the thought that both men were in trouble. As if to answer his thoughts, his phone buzzed, displaying Danny's number. "Hey Danny…."

"Just what do you mean Steve's truck was in an accident but not him? Where the hell is the big guy?" Danny demanded.

"We don't know. Lou and I are heading to Queens to question the boys who crashed Steve's truck. We need to know where they took it from," Chin responded.

"I'll meet you there," Danny said shortly and hung up.

"He'll meet us there," Chin repeated to Grover with a shrug.

"Well at least we only have one man in the wind," Lou replied. "Let's hope these kids can give us a solid lead on where to look for Steve."

"I can't imagine why Steve would be on the Windward side of the island with lousy weather coming in. He has been on edge lately, what with Wo Fat waiting to strike and no word on his mom and Catherine in Afghanistan," Chin observed. "Still he isn't someone to ignore storm warnings."

"The man is carrying a boatload of cares on his shoulders, that is for sure," Lou agreed. McGarrett had confided in him some of the things that were keeping him up at night and Grover knew that Steve's stress level was high. "I'm amazed he's able to hold it together and not let it affect his work. I do hope that he was somewhere inside last night given the storm that hit the island overnight," he added as they headed out of the office.

End chapter.

**Thank you for reading. The muse and I struggled a bit with this chapter but I hope we made sense. Now we know why Zach didn't see Steve's vehicle and that will not be a good thing for him.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Stormy State of Mind III**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii 5-0. I wish they would let me rent it occasionally.**

**Thank you for your interest in my story. I am always pleased to hear that you like what I am doing.**

Chapter 3

Saturday evening:

McGarrett regained consciousness as rain pelted his head and body and soaked him thoroughly. He attempted to roll away from the onslaught but painfully bumped into the koa tree behind him. Pain raced down through his body from his right shoulder and up from his ankle, bringing a groan to his lips. He lay still, letting the pain recede somewhat and tried to access the situation. His right shoulder throbbed, the sensation pulsing down his arm to his fingertips, leading Steve to believe he had broken his collarbone. His head was aching from where he had struck the tree trunk and his back hurt where his roll down the steep slope had driven the backpack into his body repeatedly. Steve also could feel the intense discomfort as he attempted to move his twisted right ankle.

Lightning flashed and a loud clap of thunder immediately rumbled up above, drawing Steve's attention back to the storm he was caught up in. He always carried a lightweight rain poncho in his pack but he needed to sit up to remove the backpack and that was going to hurt. Breathing slowly and very carefully pushing himself to a sitting position with his left arm, McGarrett managed to get upright. Gritting his teeth, he fought to stay conscious as his head spun and fire raced through his body.

He blinked rapidly, trying to clear the rain from his face as he slowly and carefully shrugged his left shoulder out of the strap. Several low grunts escaped him as he tried to ease the right strap off his damaged side and he managed to accomplish that simple exercise with as little pain as he could manage. Finally he had the pack sitting in his lap as he allowed himself to rest against the tree trunk behind him.

"Nice mess McGarrett," he muttered to himself as he tried to unzip the bag in front of him. He paused to check his watch's luminous dial and realized he had been out for some time and it was well past the trail's closing time. The boy Zach at the station must have called in a search team by now since Steve hadn't stopped to check out. He was relieved to know that his poncho was a bright orange and should be easy to spot in the green foliage but it would be easier to see him if he didn't remain in the shelter of the tree and the shrubbery at its base. He needed to get out in the open where his poncho and flashlight could signal for help.

Pulling the poncho free took longer than he liked and Steve was forced to fight back some nausea as his head spun from his efforts. So it appeared that he could add a mild concussion to his injuries. After locating the small, high powered flashlight, his fingers fumbled as he tried to zip the bag closed. When it proved resistant, he gave up on that and concentrated on unfolding the poncho with one hand and fitting it over his head.

By the time he had finished that maneuver; McGarrett was breathing heavily and fighting off the urge to throw up.

"Hold it together McGarrett," he mumbled as he rested his aching head against the tree. Under the poncho, he tried to hold his right arm in place, breathing shallowly as his shoulder pulsed in pain. As he rested, McGarrett reviewed things and finally remembered his phone. Knowing that cell coverage was spotty in this area, Steve knew he should at least try to contact someone that way. He struggled to reach into his right shorts pocket and find the phone and remove it. As his fingers closed around the instrument, he slowly withdrew the phone from the pocket and brought it out from under the poncho to see the device. It was with great despair that he noticed the face of the phone was full of cracks and it didn't respond to his pressing the button to activate the phone.

"Damn it," he exclaimed, knowing the device was dead. His only hope was that the search party was all ready looking for him. He tucked the phone into the pack and knew he needed to get out into the open to signal the searchers on the trail.

Using the tree, Steve struggled to his feet; he rested all his weight on his left leg and took several hobbling steps away from where he landed. The uneven ground made his progress difficult and a hole caught his right foot and it buckled, plunging him to the ground. He tried to take the fall on his good left side but the jarring landing sent shock waves of agony through his upper body and sent him face forward into blackness.

*H 5-0*

Sunday morning:

Lou drove to the hospital with no argument from Chin. Kelly had to chuckle how much Grover was like McGarrett, not wanting to let anyone else behind the wheel. Arriving at Queens and going inside, they were told that Micha Victor had not regained consciousness yet but Liko Needham was awake and alert. Danny came jogging down the hallway to join them as they headed for the boy's room.

"Hey Chin…I'm sorry I didn't answer right away when you called. My phone was turned off. I was…..uh….with Amber," Danny said awkwardly. "It figures McGarrett would find himself in trouble the minute I take some time off."

"It is okay Danny, I just learned about it this morning," Chin assured him. "We aren't sure if Steve is actually in trouble, only that his truck was in an accident and no one can reach him. We need to find out where Liko and his buddy took Steve's truck from."

The three men entered the seventeen year olds room, to find the boy wrapped in bandages, right arm in a cast and his left leg in traction. He eyed the three men warily when he saw their badges and weapons, knowing he was in big trouble.

"Liko Needham, we're from 5-0 and we need to know where you found the truck you crashed last night," Chin asked, taking the lead.

"Truck?" Liko stated, playing dumb for the moment.

"Don't play stupid boy," Lou rumbled as he glared at the kid. "We know you stole that truck you were joy-riding in and we want to know where you took it from."

The kid went paler than he all ready was and his eyes darted among the three looking for a flicker of sympathy. Faced with stern stares he closed his eyes and let out a small sob.

"Okay….okay…me and Micha were hitching on 83 when the weather got ugly. Micha said we should find a ride to boost and we just needed one sitting in a driveway or something. We went up the Kahana Valley Road cause Micha said haole tourists left rental cars in the Nakoa Trail parking lot and they might not be fast in reporting it," Liko said hurriedly. "I was sick of walking and didn't want to get drenched. There were two rides, an old Honda and the cool Silverado truck. Micha was all about the truck and wouldn't even consider the car. He popped the lock on the ride and hotwired it. It was a sweet ride but Micha drove too fast and lost it on a curve later on. So I woke up here and I'm hurting man," the boy whined.

"Boo hoo," Danny snapped. "Are you telling me that you had no clue that there was something different about that truck?"

"Different? How?" Liko asked in confusion.

"That was a cop's truck you stole, you moron," Danny spit out. "You left the head of the Governor's task force stranded with a storm moving in. You jacked the wrong truck babe."

"We didn't…..I didn't ….." Liko sputtered. "Micha picked the truck. I didn't think about who owned it."

"You and your friend made a poor choice," Chin said calmly."You are positive you took the truck from the Nakoa Trail?"

"I swear, we were by the Ahupua'a O Kahana State Park," Liko said desperately. "It was in the trail's parking lot."

"Good," Chin nodded. "There will be someone to take your full statement soon. I suggest that you cooperate completely with them and give them the full story," he instructed, eager to go look for Steve. Chin was well aware of the factors that may have kept Steve from reporting his truck stolen and none of them were good. He looked at Lou and Danny. "We need to check the trail." he headed out of the room.

"Whoa…..hold up Chin," Danny protested following him to the hall. "Do we take this story as fact?"

"Yes Danny, we do," Chin said seriously. "If Steve's truck was there and he was not off the trail when the weather turned, then he's in big trouble."

"So how do we confirm he was on that trail yesterday?" Lou asked.

"We call the check in station," Chin stated as he brought out his phone but continued towards the exit. He found the number for the State Park trail and pressed the number. "Hello, this is Lt. Kelly of 5-0. Could you tell me if Lt. Commander McGarrett signed in on the trail yesterday?" he enquired when the station personal answered. The response came quickly.

"Yes Lieutenant, he was on the trail yesterday afternoon."

"Did he check out?"

"He did."

"Who checked him out? We need to speak to that person," Chin insisted.

"Zach Michaels, one of our newer workers had that last shift yesterday," came the reply.

"We will need to speak to Zach. Please contact him and have him be at the station, we are on our way. We have reason to believe that Commander McGarrett never left the trail."

"I'm sure you are mistaken Lt. Kelly, the clipboard clearly has him marked out," the now worried voice protested.

"Please ma'am, just have Zach there when we arrive. We need to speak to him. It is important," Chin said firmly.

"Yes sir," the woman replied and hung up.

Chin looked at the other two who had been standing close enough to hear and followed the conversation from Chin's side.

"Want to be this Zach guy checked Steve out without seeing him?" Danny asked.

"Not taking that bet," Lou said shaking his head. "I'm thinking someone was in a hurry to go home."

"We had better go find out," Chin said as they went out to the parking lot.

Danny nodded curtly and hurried to his car. Once Chin and Lou were in Lou's Suburban and heading out after Danny, Grover spared a glance at Chin.

"I haven't hiked the Nakoa, What kind of trouble could Steve be in?"

"The trail is treacherous when wet. There are some steep areas where he could have lost footing and fallen. There are several places to ford the Kahana stream, one a concrete dam so a missed step could be dangerous. The storm would have made everything more difficult," Chin replied.

"Why would Steve even go out on that trail with bad weather coming in?" Lou asked in confusion.

"I don't know," Chin answered shaking his head. "The storm came in faster than predicted; maybe Steve felt he could beat it. His head may not have been in a good place and he ignored the weather reports."

"It's beginning to look like having his truck stolen was a good thing for Steve," Lou reflected. "If those boys hadn't crashed it we wouldn't know Steve was missing."

"That's true," Chin agreed. "I hope he just settled in somewhere to ride out the storm but it's a slim hope. He would have shown up at the station by now. I'm afraid we are going to need air support when we find him, I'm going to alert the air rescue," Chin said going to his phone once more.

End chapter.

**Thank you so very much for reading. Our gang knows where to look for Steve now but what condition is he in? And just how will Zach explain himself?**


	4. Chapter 4

**Stormy State of Mind IV**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii 5-0. I love the fact that there is this site that lets me play out my fantasies for these characters.**

**Thank you all for reading and reviewing. For those that don't review, thanks for putting this story on alert and reading. I hope you enjoy the next chapter.**

Chapter 4

Sunday morning:

As he drove towards the Ahupua'a O Kahana State Park, a series of different emotions ran through Danny Williams. He began with anger…anger that his friend would do something so stupid as to go out on a difficult trail with a storm moving in. As usual, McGarrett hadn't told anyone what he was up to and now he was undoubtedly in some sort of trouble.

And realizing that his friend, his best friend, could be in some serious trouble and not just because his truck was stolen and he was stranded, Danny was worried. He was very aware that under normal circumstances even a wet, slippery trail wouldn't have prevented Steve from showing up at the check in station that morning. McGarrett would have been able to get into the station and use the phone if it was necessary. All of this pointed to the fact that Steve must have run into a situation that stranded him out on the trail.

That knowledge led Danny from worry to his final emotion that had settled into his gut and wouldn't leave. Guilt was the strongest emotion tormenting him and he couldn't shake the feeling that he should have known something was up with Steve lately. His partner had been a bit distant the last several weeks and Danny had just let it slide, figuring that Steve would share if he felt like it. Danny knew that a lot had been weighing on Steve…..Doris keeping her distance and silence, the threat of Wo Fat striking before they could find him or were prepared for him or maybe it was the absence of Catherine from the island. With his own issues with women, Danny had tried to avoid discussing her prolonged stay in Afghanistan with Steve. He regretted the harsh statements he had made when ribbing Steve about Catherine going to work for Billy Harrington, causing his friend to doubt his girlfriend's faithfulness. No wonder Steve was not willing to share any concerns about her absence. He should have been willing to listen to Steve or at least ask what was wrong.

By the time he parked next to Grover's Suburban, Danny was furious with himself for letting Steve's silence hold him at arm's length. It didn't help that he knew his stoic partner was not big on sharing and had too much thrown at him in the last four years. Getting out of his car he joined Chin and Grover as they headed up towards the check in station.

Reaching the station they were welcomed inside by a tall brunette in her forties with a serious expression. A young man in his very early twenties stood against the wall, looking very guilty. This was clearly the Zach who had last seen Steve the day before.

"Lt. Kelly, I'm Clara Ritter," the woman said coming forward, a hand extended to Chin. "This is Zach Michaels, the young man you wished to speak to."

Danny moved aggressively towards the kid who shrank back against the wall where a map of the trail was displayed.

"Did Commander McGarrett personally check himself off the trail yesterday or did you do it for him?" Danny demanded.

Grover had located and picked up the clipboard, finding Steve's name on the bottom of the list with two check marks behind it. While Lou was not a handwriting expert, he recognized Steve's signature and the first check looked like it had the same slant as the name. The second check however was not the same as the first. He handed the clipboard to Chin to look at.

"He…he never stopped by the station when he left," Zack said shakily. "My shift was done, I checked him out figuring he had gone straight to his car when he finished the hike. It was raining pretty heavy by then."

"You know our policy Zach," Clara scolded. "You should never check anyone out without seeing them leave."

"What makes you think that McGarrett had left?" Danny asked.

"It was raining and I figured he just left. We have had others do that. I would have called it in but when I got to the parking lot there weren't any vehicles in the lot but mine. That had to mean he had left the trail," Zach explained. "I was afraid I would get in trouble if I reported a missing hiker and the Commander was all ready home. I didn't want to drag the search team out in bad weather for no good reason."

"So you just went on your merry way assuming Steve had left without telling you when the weather was nasty," Danny said angrily.

"There was no other car out there," the boy said in a panic. "How was I supposed to know that he was still on the trail? For Pete's sake, the man is a Navy SEAL, he can handle himself. He sure wouldn't listen to me when I tried to warn him about the coming storm. He blew me off, I figured he didn't bother checking out with me," Zach added in his defense.

"His truck wasn't in the lot because two morons stole it while McGarrett was hiking. And we know Steve is missing because these same morons crashed the truck later last night. Otherwise your actions would have made this a bigger problem since we wouldn't have known he was missing until Monday," Danny growled as he grabbed the kid's shirt front. "Steve may be a SEAL but it is not your job to second guess him. It looks like our friend has been out in the bad weather all night thanks to your mistaken assumptions." He shook the boy slightly, glaring at him.

"Easy Danny," Chin stepped in and said as he set the clipboard down and placed a calming hand on the shorter man's shoulder. "He didn't know that Steve's truck was stolen. This is a series of bad mistakes."

"I didn't know…honest," Zach insisted.

"Zach may not have known about the Commander's stolen truck but he did know the trail protocol and didn't follow it. I'm afraid he won't be working here anymore," Clara said firmly. She looked directly at Danny. "Please release him."

Danny let go of the boy and turned to Chin and Lou.

"We need to get out on that trail," he declared.

"After I received your call I alerted the park system's search and rescue team. They should be arriving shortly," Clara informed them.

"Thank you Ms Ritter, that was good thinking," Grover approved. "We can use all the help we can get."

"I do not like to lose any hiker on my trail. Even someone with Commander McGarrett's skills can encounter trouble," she replied.

"Can I help with the search?" Zach asked quietly. "I've hiked this trail a lot." His gaze darted between the three members of 5-0. He was anxious to make up for his mistake.

Before Danny could fire off a biting comment, Chin spoke up.

"We can use all the help we can get."

"So do we wait for the others or head out now?" Grover asked. "I think the sooner we move the better, the others can catch up."

"Just let me change my shoes and I'm ready," Danny announced.

Both men chuckled as they looked down at Danny's loafers.

"That is a very wise decision brah," Chin commented. "Do you really have hiking boots in the car?"

"Since I'm partnered with "Mr. Unpredictable" I have started carrying alternative footwear and a change of clothes," Danny retorted. "So yes, I have hiking boots in the trunk along with all the assorted weapons my explosion happy partner requires."

"And we will find him," Grover assured Danny, recognizing how the blonde man's rants helped him hide his concern for McGarrett. "Steve is a survivor; he'll help us find him."

"Then let's go drag his ass out of this jungle," Danny declared and hurried out of the station to go back to his car. It was gnawing at him that Steve had to be in big trouble and they had no idea what condition they would find him in. And he planned to share that worry with his partner once they found him.

*H 5-0*

Much earlier on Sunday morning:

The second time Steve awakened, the storm had calmed but it was still dark out and there was a very light rain falling. He carefully raised his head and glanced at the luminous dial of his watch to check the time. It was three thirty and the movement to raise his head made it throb dully. His whole body ached and protested as he tried to move to a sitting position.

Heat was radiating off his skin and even with the poncho his clothes had not dried out from his earlier soaking. It did not take a medical degree to tell him that he was running a fever and that the cut on his shin was probably infected. Slowly lifting his head again, he blinked several times to clear his vision, trying to get a good look at the hillside he had fallen down in the dim light. The moon was trying to break through spaces in the clouds and he could see just how steep the climb back up to the trail would be. Once more he attempted to rise to his knees and this time he succeeded getting vertical while hugging his right arm to his side to try and quell the shooting pain in his shoulder. He had to fight off some dizziness that threatened to pitch him onto his face and leaned back somewhat as he took several deep breathes.

Steve knew that there was no way he could climb back up the slope on his own power in his current condition. Crawling wasn't even an option with his bad ankle and broken collarbone. With great care he shifted to a sitting position, relieved that the blackness didn't swallow him up once more. Pushing the poncho hood off his head he closed his eyes and relished the cool night air and light sprinkling of rain that bathed his face.

He knew now that there was no rescue party out on the trail looking for him. Someone would have been in the area by now and would have spotted his orange rain gear. He could only assume that the kid at the check-in station had not bothered to call in a report as he should have. That knowledge made him realize that he was stuck here until daylight and he had to hope that there was someone would decide to hike today. Any attempt to move to a more comfortable waiting area would only plunge him back into unconsciousness so he could only sit there and hope to stay awake as long as possible.

As he sat there his mind wandered back to the reason he was on this trail in the first place. Why had he thought he could solve his problems by going out in the jungle with a storm coming on? Would he really have made peace with his troubles by beating a physical challenge in bad weather? Catherine was probably not able to phone or text because it wasn't safe to contact him at the moment. Her silence didn't mean she was in danger…the Taliban would have made sure the world knew if they had killed her. Steve had been overreacting to her silence and he had made a major mistake in coming out here. Why couldn't he accept that Cath could take care of herself and he needed to trust her? And all this reasoning could not take away the pain that her absence brought to his life, he thought morosely.

The effort to stay upright made his head spin and his head pound more painfully. In fear of passing out, Steve slowly slide down on his left side and he took several deep breathes to hold off the urge to vomit. The pain from his shoulder raced through the rest of the body and he gasped in agony as each wave intensified. He gritted his teeth and mentally cursed his weakness. Knowing that he wasn't going to be able to move for a while, he tried to find a comfortable position and wait for daylight. Finally weariness took over and he fell into an uneasy sleep.

End chapter.

**I do hope that the jumping between time frames wasn't too difficult to follow. The muse likes to mess with my head when I am writing. Thanks for reading, feel free to express your thoughts. **


	5. Chapter 5

**Stormy State of Mind V**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii 5-0. I do enjoy playing in their world and I promise to put the characters back where I found them.**

**Again I thank all of you for the lovely support. I am very glad you like my story. Thanks for reading.**

Chapter 5

Sunday morning:

Chin and Lou hurried down the road from the station to catch up with a very determined Danny. As Williams dug his boots out of the Camaro's trunk, Grover retrieved a backpack he kept in the Suburban and checked its contents. Several vehicles pulled into the parking lot as Danny was lacing up his boots and the state park search team emerged. Chin went over to brief them as Grover stopped by Danny.

"Have you ever hiked this trail?" he asked Danny.

"Nope …..have you?" Williams responded.

"I have not gotten around to this trail," Lou replied. "Looks like we'll both have to let the experts take the lead on this one. I do know that there are several stream crossings on this trail; let's hope McGarrett didn't encounter trouble there."

"I'm hoping there wasn't some nutcase out here that was gunning for Steve. We've been there, done that, do not need to revisit that," Danny said remembering the assassin that had targeted Steve on the Wa'ahila Ridge Trail a couple years ago. "We will be lucky if he just had to wrestle with Mother Nature and not a paid killer."

Grover paused to consider what Danny had told him. There was a great deal that happened in McGarrett's life that he had no clue about. And now it seemed that there were possibly other factors as to why Steve had not come off the trail last night.

"So there could be several reasons why McGarrett wasn't waiting at the check-in station this morning," Lou said with a nod. He hefted his pack onto one shoulder. "Looks like time's a wasting, let's get this search started."

"Agreed," Danny stated and leaned down to pick up a small pack he had found by his boots. Steve must have been practicing his Boy Scout moves and stuck it in there without telling him. "Let's get moving."

Chin rejoined them, nodding in approval at the pack that Danny held. He handed a SAT phone to Grover.

"Here, put this in your pack. Cell coverage is spotty out here and we'll need it," he said to the big man. He then patted the radio clipped to his belt. "We will keep in touch with the search group with these radios. The searchers think it will go faster if we attack the trail from both ends, there is a lot of ground to cover. We may have to go off trail to check the bushes."

"Lovely…I've been itching to beat some bushes," Danny quipped as he followed Chin back up to the trail head. With a chuckle Lou followed the pair. He found it entertaining how Williams coped with stress.

At the start of the trail, Zach was waiting with Clara, who told them she would stay at the station and handle things. It was park policy to keep other hikers off the trail when a search was in progress to keep the confusion at a minimum. She would also be able to send any other members of the search team that had not arrived yet in the right direction. Zach considered his options and decided that he would go with the 5-0 team. He wanted to prove that he wasn't the screw up that the men seemed to think he was.

Conditions were still muddy and slippery as they pressed forward; everyone had spread out, trying to cover as much ground as possible as they searched for McGarrett or any signs of where he had run into trouble. At the two stream crossings they encountered higher than usual running water and by the second one they heard from the other team who had stalled at the concrete dam where it was very difficult to cross. They had found no signs of Steve but would be delayed as they navigated the high water. Chin led the way across the second stream with the other searchers while Danny and Grover brought up the rear.

"And everyone wonders why I hate hiking," Danny grumbled, stepping carefully among the rocks.

"Step carefully and if you fall don't swallow the water. There are bacteria in it that will make you sick," Chin warned over his shoulder.

"Wonderful…..not only can I break a leg, I can get sick as well," Danny groaned. He and Lou were almost across the fast running water when Danny's foot stubbed against a rock and only a tight grip on his bicep kept him from falling on his face.

"Steady there," Lou cautioned as he held Danny upright.

"Thanks man," Danny acknowledged. "When we find McGarrett I'm going to kill him for forcing me to go through this."

"Sure you will," Lou chuckled as he kept hold of Danny until they exited the stream.

"Well that was fun…..can we do that again?" Danny said sarcastically as they caught up to Chin.

"Since we have to walk out of here after we find Steve, I would say yes to that question," Chin answered with a grin. "I suggest you and Lou stick together."

"Yea, just you and me little buddy," Grover smirked.

"Don't make me hurt you," Danny growled at both men but there was no heat in his words. "Come on, McGarrett has to be around here somewhere. Just how long was he on this trail before the storm hit?"

"I'd say it was maybe an hour, hour and a half. It was only heavy rain at first but the Commander had to have been on the trail at least that long. The storm came in faster than expected," Zach responded.

"Then given Steve's training, I would guess he made it further than here and probably to the steeper area up ahead," Chin suggested.

"Would he have wandered from the main trail, onto one of the wild pig tracks?" one of the rescue group asked.

"No, Steve was familiar with this trail, he wouldn't have become disoriented and go off on one of the side tracks," Chin replied. "We need to move on. He may have lost his footing on the steeper area."

They moved on, forced to stay closer together as the track became narrower and steeper. Danny was forced to concentrate on where he was placing his feet as the conditions became more challenging. It took a lot to keep his balance and not go plunging backward or sliding on his rear.

"Uh…..sir, could that be something?" Zach spoke from behind Danny as he pointed down the hillside to a spot near a koa tree. There was a spot of orange amid the tall brush not far from the tree base.

"Chin, Lou….down there," Danny exclaimed, pointing to the spot that Zach had indicated. "Good eye kid," he added to Zach. "Steve….Steve, can you hear me?" he called out.

Chin came back to Danny's position while Lou dug a pair of small binoculars from his pack.

"There is someone down there," Lou confirmed. "I can't see if it is Steve but it looks like an orange poncho."

"Steve! Can you hear me? Steve!" Danny yelled, cupping his hands around his mouth. There appeared to be no movement from the figure below. Impatiently, he started down the slope.

"Danny be careful," Chin warned as he watched Williams skid downward on his butt. Zach was following at a much more controlled pace. Shaking his head, Chin grabbed his radio to alert the other searchers.

Sliding faster than he intended, Danny dug his heels into the dirt to slow his progress. His heart was pounding in his chest as he kept his eyes on the silent figure a few yards away.

"Steve, answer me damn it," he demanded as he continued downward.

*H 5-0*

A voice yelling nearby penetrated the foggy consciousness of Steve McGarrett. He tried to open his eyes and lift his head to find the source of the voice but found that too difficult to manage at the moment. He was lying flat on his face, knowing that any movement would send fresh waves of pain through his body. Again the voice intruded on his thoughts, louder this time and finally McGarrett was able to open his eyes.

The sun was up and Steve was hit with the awareness that he had been out for a long time. Did the voice belong to a rescue worker, finally looking for him? Or had Wo Fat finally found him and chosen this time to attack? Where was he, in Hawaii or was this still Afghanistan? Was Catherine nearby? Steve's feverish brain jumped from one scenario to another as he struggled to look up and locate the person belonging to the voice. He could feel the shadow loom over him as the voice spoke once more.

"Steven, please answer me," Danny said as he finally reached his partner. Relief flowed through him as he recognized McGarrett and could see he was moving and breathing. Kneeling beside Steve, he reached out to touch his right shoulder to shake him lightly. A loud groan escaped Steve as he rolled onto his back and away from Danny's touch.

"Don't!" he growled through gritted teeth as he clutched his right arm to his side with his left. He squinted up at Williams. "Danny?" he gasped painfully.

"Yes, it's me babe. You certainly know how to worry a guy. Look at the mess you have gotten yourself into this time," Danny replied with a shake of his head.

"How….how did…."

"How did we find you?" Danny asked finishing his friend's question.

Steve nodded.

"We just followed the trouble trail you left. Your truck got jacked and then crashed last night. You can thank two idiots who were lucky enough to survive for this rescue. They told us where they stole your ride from," Danny said filling him in quickly as he looked his partner over for further damage.

"Commander, I'm so sorry I didn't call for help. I thought you left," Zach interrupted from behind Danny. He was thankful to find the Commander alive.

"Who….oh, the check-in kid," Steve groaned as a fresh wave of pain rolled through his body. Memories were beginning to straighten themselves out in his muddled brain. He gritted his teeth tightly to keep from crying out again.

"Hey man, just how hurt are you?" Danny asked in concern.

"Broke….collarbone," Steve gasped. "I feel hot…fever," he muttered feeling like he was going to be sick to his stomach.

Danny placed a hand on Steve's forehead and felt the heat radiating off his friend. He could see that Steve was becoming glassy eyed and his breathing was uneven.

"Chin, Steve needs medical help and he needs it fast," he shouted to the group that was making their way down the slope.

End chapter.


	6. Chapter 6

**Stormy State of Mind VI**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii 5-0. I wish I was on the island but I settle for living through my writing.**

**Thank you all for the lovely reviews. I hope I continue to keep you entertained.**

Chapter 6

As Danny yelled for help, one of the search team members hurried his pace to reach Steve and Danny. Mark Shafer had been a medic in the Navy and now worked as an EMT, volunteering his free time to the park's search and rescue crew. He shrugged off his medical pack as he knelt on the other side of Steve.

"Commander, can you tell me what is wrong?" Schafer asked calmly.

"I think my collarbone's broken. Head hurts and I'm feeling hot…..fuzzy headed," Steve tried to explain.

"What about this bandage here?" Schafer questioned pointing to Steve's right shin.

"I twisted my ankle crossing the stream, tripped and cut my leg," McGarrett answered slowly. "I….I treated it."

"It probably got infected anyway," Chin observed as he and Lou stopped near the group.

"Staying out in the elements all night didn't help," Schafer stated as he dug into his pack.

"I'll be fine. Get me on my feet and help me up to the trail," Steve said trying to get to sit up.

Danny gently but firmly pressed Steve back down to the ground, putting pressure only on his uninjured shoulder and kept him still.

"Calm down Superman, let the guy with the training take care of you," he ordered. "We'll get you out of here and to a hospital."

Schafer placed a hand on McGarrett's forehead as he used an ear thermometer to get a reading. He frowned at the instrument when it beeped its result.

"You are certainly running hot Commander," the man stated with a shake of his head. "I need some water," he added to the others while he went to his pack and found a bottle of pills.

"How bad is he?" Danny asked, very aware of the heat he could feel coming off Steve's body.

"He's running a temp of 103," Schafer said. "I need to try and stabilize his shoulder and wrap that ankle after I get some Tylenol in him. I'd like to do more but I can't out here in the field."

Zach held out an open bottle of water to Schafer who took it after shaking two pills out into his hand.

"Commander, take these," he instructed and Steve complied. Schafer then held the bottle while McGarrett drank greedily. "I'll need you to hold the Commander still while I tend to his ankle first and then his shoulder," Schafer told Danny who nodded.

Grover pulled Chin aside as he looked back at the steep slope that loomed behind them.

"How are we going to get him out of here?"

"The area is fairly open, I think we can get air support and take him out in a basket," Chin answered as he looked around the open sky above. "There is no way we can carry him out of here. Give me the SAT phone and I will call for help."

"Sure thing," Grover said and dug through the pack to locate the phone. He handed it over to Chin who quickly called for air rescue.

"ETA is roughly twenty five minutes," Chin announced once he had finished giving the details to the Army air rescue.

"That's good, I have him stable for the moment and he can be transported," Schafer replied as he completed his business with McGarrett. The man wished he could do more to make sure the Commander's shoulder was secure but he knew that there could be broken ribs as well and he didn't want to rely on just a sling to take care of the matter. He had wrapped the arm against Steve's body and totally immobilized it.

Steve had been stoic during the treatment, gritting his teeth to keep from crying out in pain. He now lay quiet, fighting to remain aware of what was going on around him. Danny watched his partner closely, in concern.

"Why the hell did you come out here with a storm coming on?" he finally asked, unable to contain himself.

"I thought I could bet it," Steve said wearily.

"Why didn't you call someone?"

"Wanted to be alone."

"Are you nuts?" Danny demanded in frustration without thinking. "You could have broken your neck instead of your collarbone. We could be hauling you out in a body bag."

"I just misjudged the storm Danny. I wanted to clear my head with a hike," Steve murmured, finding it difficult to concentrate on the conversation.

"You need a keeper," Danny spit out and the minute the words left his mouth he wished he could take them back. The flash of pain in Steve's eyes before he closed them and turned his head away flooded Danny with guilt. "Aw babe…I'm sorry, I didn't mean that. You had me worried….this scared the crap out of me. I didn't mean that."

Steve remained silent, eyes closed against the pain in his skull and the sting of Danny's words. He couldn't explain why he had come out to this trail and there was no way that he could make Danny understand why he dealt with his troubles the way he did. There had been too many things piling up on him lately and it had become more and more difficult to shove them into the back of his mind and carry on as if nothing was wrong. At this moment he didn't want to explain, he just wanted the blackness to rise up and swallow him.

"Steve, I'm sorry. Talk to me," Danny pleaded.

"Hey Danny," Chin spoke up as he came up behind him and touched him on the shoulder. "Steve's in pain let him rest for now."

Danny looked up at him, frustration and pain clearly written on his face.

"He has to know I didn't mean that."

"He's feverish, he can't process all this. Give him time, his ride is coming," Chin urged as the sound of a chopper could be heard in the distance. Several of the searchers were waving hats and arms to signal the helicopter.

The next few minutes were all devoted to positioning the chopper overhead and for a basket to be lowered down to them along with an Army corpsman from the chopper. Schafer and the corpsman carefully transferred Steve to the basket and secured him inside it. McGarrett remained passive throughout the process and finally the basket rose up in the air with the attentive Army corpsman and then disappeared towards Honolulu.

"They're taking him to Queens," Schafer told Chin, Danny and Lou as he gathered his things together and stowed them in his pack.

"Thanks for all your help," Chin said.

"No problem Lt. Kelly, glad to be of help," Schafer replied.

"Okay, time to head back," Chin told the others and headed toward the slope. Everyone else began the trek back up the incline to the trail except Danny who remained standing where he was, staring in the direction the helicopter had disappeared. He felt miserable and wished he could take back his impulsive words.

"You coming Danny?" Grover asked as he paused and looked back.

"Yea….I …..just….yea," Danny said and grabbed his pack to follow.

Grover had heard the rant that Danny had unleashed on McGarrett and felt sorry for the Jersey detective. He knew that the outburst had come from the fear that Danny had been carrying around, not sure they would find Steve alive. His behavior was a defense mechanism and he would instantly regret what he had said to McGarrett.

"Come on Danno…..we've got to move. I'll hold your hand crossing the streams," Lou said and waited for the eruption he knew would be coming.

"Who said you could call me that?" Danny flared as he turned on Grover, spoiling for a fight. He paused as he saw the big grin on the man's face and he realized what Grover was trying to do. "Okay….okay, I get it. Let's go find out how badly SuperSEAL hurt himself. And I'll hold you up crossing the streams."

"In your dreams," Lou laughed as they headed for the slope. "I'll probably have to carry you across them."

"Over my dead body," Danny snapped back but couldn't hide his grin.

It took some time to make their way up the hillside and travel down the trail back to the trail head. Precious time had been wasted as they hiked back through the conditions to finally get to the parking lot and their vehicles. Without any comments, Danny went right to his Camaro and threw his backpack into the backseat.

"See you at Queens," Lou told Danny and saw Danny wave and start his car, roaring out of the parking lot.

"Danny is in a rush," Chin commented dryly.

"He's got a guilty conscience driving him," Lou responded. "Hasty words are hard to pull back once they're out. McGarrett wasn't in any position to listen to Danny's attempt at an apology."

"They'll work it out," Chin said confidently.

Lou nodded but he wasn't sure that Kelly was aware of just how much McGarrett had been holding inside lately. The two partners needed to clear the air about what they were willing to share before this was done. Lou knew how stress could eat at a man and mess with his mindset.

At the hospital they found Danny all ready prowling the ER waiting room as he waited for news on Steve. Grover settled his bulk onto a stiff, uncomfortable chair as Chin decided it was time to bring Kono up to speed.

"Hey Cuz, what's up?" Kono said brightly. "Do you miss me all ready?"

"I'm sorry to disturb you but I wanted you to know we air lifted McGarrett off the Nakoa Trail today. He got caught in the storm that hit late yesterday. We are at Queens now waiting for word on him," Chin told her.

"Adam and I can come back immediately," Kono said in concern.

"No, there's no need for that. Come home at your scheduled time, there is nothing for you to do here. I just wanted you to know what was going on," Chin replied.

"Okay, I'll be home later tonight. Call me if things change," Kono stated.

Chin assured her he would and hung up. He returned to where Danny had now sat in a chair near Grover and tried to make himself comfortable in the unyielding furniture. An hour later a doctor emerged through the ER doors and searched the room. When she spotted the trio sitting across the room she approached them, focusing on Chin.

"Hello Chin, I assume you are here for word on Commander McGarrett?" Dr. Kawena Pookalani greeted him.

"Yes we are Kawena. How is he?" Chin asked getting to his feet. Danny and Lou also rose.

"Not so good at the moment," Dr. Pookalani replied seriously. "His ankle was only sprained but his collarbone was broken. The Commander did knock his head but we don't believe he has a concussion. It is his fever that has us worried. He has a temp of 103.2 and we have not been able to lower it. We figure he has picked up an infection from the Kahana stream and we have him on antibiotics but spending the night out in the storm didn't help matters. We will be moving him to ICU so that we can monitor him and continue treatment."

"Will he be okay?" Danny asked.

"He will be if we can bring his fever down before it starts to affect his organs. We will do our best," Kawena said gently. She smiled at Danny and spoke before he could say anything more. "And yes, you can see him once he is settled as long as you obey ICU's rules."

"Thank you Kawena," Chin said. He looked at the other two. "Okay gentlemen, we had better be on our best behavior or we will end up banned from ICU. Kawena means business."

End chapter.

**Well we have Steve out of the jungle but do we have him out of the woods. And will his emotions settle down now that he is safe. Thanks for reading.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Stormy State of Mind VII**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii 5-0. I guess that I won't find Steve McGarrett under my tree on the 25****th**** either…..darn.**

**Thank you all so much for supporting my story. I wish you the best during this holiday season. May all your wishes come true.**

Chapter 7

At the ICU waiting room the three men were told they weren't able to go in and see Steve just yet. As they waited, Danny gave Chin an interested look.

"You know the ER doc," he said not making it a question.

"Kawena was a good friend of Malia's. She's a good doctor, I'm sure she did everything she could for Steve," Chin replied. "He's in good hands here."

"McGarrett's going to need it," Lou observed. "He looked pretty rough when we found him."

"A night out in a storm with those injuries was not good for him. It's the infection that will be the toughest battle, the collarbone will heal," Chin stated seriously.

"What's taking so long?" Danny grumbled.

He no sooner spoke when a nurse appeared and ushered them into the quiet of the ICU. They found Steve still asleep with numerous tubes and wires attached to his body. His right arm was immobilized in a sling and his right ankle was wrapped and elevated. His forehead was beaded with sweat, making it clear his fever had not broken yet.

Danny immediately went to McGarrett's left side and stared down at his friend. Once more he felt a flash of guilt for not being available when Steve was feeling alone. "He shouldn't have been on that trail alone. What was he thinking?"

"It's how he does thing Danny. Steve just ran into some bad luck," Chin said sympathetically as he moved to stand beside Danny. "None of us was aware of what Steve was feeling."

"I should have known," Danny said softly.

Before either Chin or Lou could respond, McGarrett began to move his head back and forth restlessly, muttering under his breath. Danny leaned in to try and make out what was being said. He straightened up and looked sadly at the other two men.

"He is asking for Catherine," he told them. "Does anyone know the last time he's heard from her?"

Both men shook their heads. This news could explain so much about McGarrett's behavior.

"No wonder he went off alone," Lou said. "He has certainly had more than his share of bad luck."

"Stubborn, proud SEAL….he figures a physical challenge will solve all his problems," Danny muttered.

Chin reached out and patted Williams on the shoulder.

"That's his training, its how he has been taught to cope. You can scold him when he wakes up. We'll just have to make him realize that he doesn't have to go it alone," Kelly told him. "Why don't you take the first watch and one of us will relieve you later. Call us if there are any major changes."

"Yea…sure thing," Danny nodded, his eyes locked on Steve's face. He carefully placed a hand on McGarrett's undamaged shoulder in an attempt to calm his agitated partner. To his relief, Steve quieted and a small smile graced his lips. "Go ahead, I've got this."

With a final pat to Danny's shoulder from Chin and a thumbs up from Lou, the two guys headed out of the room leaving Danny alone with McGarrett. Danny pulled a chair close so he could sit next to the bed and touch Steve if he became restless again. He gazed thoughtfully at his partner's now still form.

"Well babe, it looks like it just you and me for the moment," he said quietly. "First off…let me say how sorry I am that you felt you couldn't come and talk to me. I sensed that something was wrong but I was so caught up in my minor tiff with Amber that I wasn't available." He paused as Steve turned his face towards him but didn't open his eyes. His breathing was shallow but regular.

"Honest Steven," Danny continued. "I know how you feel about Catherine and I know her absence has to hurt. I know how it feels to be alone and I wish I had been easier to talk to. I promise I'll be more willing to listen next time."

Danny stopped again, hoping his partner would open his eyes and tell him to shut up but McGarrett just lay there. The machines beeping in the background only served to mock Danny making him feel useless. A deep sigh escaped him as he leaned forward to rub his eyes with the heels of his hands.

"Man Steve….. how did we get this distant? I love you babe and if I could go to Afghanistan and haul Catherine back here I would. The two of you are quite the pair, you know," he continued with a smile. "You both are so duty bound and self-sacrificing that you ignore what will make you both happy. You belong together and I would love to have her come home safely."

Leaning back in his chair, Danny rested his head against the chair back and closed his eyes. He knew he should probably call Amber and let her know what was happening but he just couldn't summon the energy to make that call. He knew Grace was with Rachel and Stan so she was safe and he had no desire to panic her with news about her Uncle Steve's condition just yet.

Steve shifted in his bed again, his fever refusing to let him rest peacefully. Danny sat straighter, watching McGarrett like a hawk. When Steve remained asleep, Danny began to relax again.

"Come on babe, you need to beat this infection. It's not like you to let some lousy bacteria win this fight," Danny urged, reaching out to put his hand on Steve's arm through the rails of the bed. "You can do it Steve," he said in encouragement.

As McGarrett became calmer, Danny sat back and tried to release the tension in his body. He had faith in the doctors that were tending to McGarrett and would make his partner healthy again. But now he was concerned about Steve's state of mind. So very many things had been dumped on his partner and when he considered things…it was surprising that Steve hadn't snapped earlier. The trek into the jungle with a storm coming on was not strange when you realized some of McGarrett's other moves over the years. He had vanished to track Wo Fat down several years ago, leaving behind only a letter and if he was worried about Catherine it was surprising he hadn't gone back to Afghanistan to retrieve her no matter what the CIA had said. Danny wished that he could help his friend find the balance in his life that he needed.

It was only ten minutes later that a red-headed nurse entered the room and went straight to Steve to record his vitals. Danny could see her frown when she took Steve's temperature.

"Is something wrong?" Danny asked in concern as he came to full alert.

"His temperature has not dropped at all. It seems that the antibiotics are not doing their job against this infection," the woman who appeared to be in her mid-thirties answered. Her name badge said her name was Tracy. "Don't worry Det. Williams; we are keeping a close eye on the Commander."

"I don't doubt it Tracy but you will have to excuse me if I continue to worry about Steve," Danny informed her. "It is just in my nature."

"That is okay Detective, you worry and I'll make sure the doctors are aware of the Commander's condition," Tracy told him as she finished up and turned to leave the room. "We take our job very seriously here and we will make sure to do our best for Commander McGarrett."

"Thank you, "Danny replied as Tracy went out to the central desk in the middle of the ICU unit.

Getting to his feet, Danny began to pace the room, trying to burn off the nervous energy that was building in him. It was not a good sign that the antibiotics weren't working and he hoped that they would find the right mix quickly. He rounded the foot of the bed for the fourth time when he halted at the sound of his name. He could see Steve's eyes were open slightly but looking a bit unfocused.

"Hey Steve, good to see you awake buddy," he said hurrying back to McGarrett's left side. "How are you feeling?"

"Is Catherine here? Did you call her?" Steve asked anxiously, unable to meet Danny's gaze.

"Catherine isn't here Steve. She is in Afghanistan, remember?" Danny said quietly.

"No….she has to be here. I need to talk to her," Steve muttered feverishly. As he shifted restlessly in the bed, he winced in pain as he pulled his shoulder. Danny reached out to touch Steve's good shoulder and spoke gently to his confused friend.

"Easy Steve. I'll try and call her if you can tell me how to reach her."

Calming down, Steve blinked as he tried to focus on Danny.

"I should be with her. She needs me," he mumbled.

"You had no choice babe, the Navy and the CIA wouldn't let you stay. You have to trust Catherine, she will come home," Danny assured him.

"I love her," Steve whispered, losing his battle to stay awake. His eyes closed as the fever took over his body once more.

"Of course you do," Danny told the now silent figure. "And if I could find Catherine and bring her home I would. You my friend need to beat this infection. You don't want her to find you lounging around in a hospital bed, do you?"

Moving away from the bed, Danny resumed his pacing. Seeing Steve McGarrett look so vulnerable was unsettling. Williams didn't know how to contact Cath but maybe Joe White could help him with that. And while Joe was at it, he could give Steve a lead on Doris as well. It was time McGarrett had some closure with the women in his life.

Steve was still sleeping when Chin came by to relieve him. Danny went home reluctantly, ate some leftovers, tried to reach Joe and finally got some sleep. In the morning he had some strong coffee and a day old pastry before heading back to the hospital. He found Grover trying to find a comfortable position in the chair. Steve was asleep but there was still a fine sheen of sweat on his forehead.

"How is he?" Danny asked.

"His temp has gone down about two degrees but that's all. They've switched antibiotics an hour ago to see if it helps. Steve has been awake for short moments but he's not making much sense. He asks for Catherine, his mother and even told me to go bring in Wo Fat. It's no wonder he can't rest, he has an awful lot pressing on his mind," Lou told him.

"Yea he does," Danny agreed. "I'm glad he has had you to confide in."

Lou got up and nodded to Danny.

"He listened to me so I listened to him, that's all," Grover replied. "Sometimes it's easier to open up to someone who isn't close to you. Less chance of losing a friend that way. Be patient with him, he'll open up in time. I'm going for breakfast, see you later," Lou stated as Danny settled in the chair to keep watch.

End chapter.

**Thank you for taking time to read the chapter. I appreciate the support.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Stormy State of Mind VIII**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii 5-0. I don't think they are willing to sell me the rights either.**

**Thank you all for your patience. Just before Christmas my computer with my FF files caught a bug and gave up the ghost. So getting a new one and transferring all my files delayed my posting. With all that settled, I am now able to continue posting and give you this chapter. One more will be coming unless the muse gets inspired to add more. **

Chapter 8

McGarrett's fight with the infection continued for several days. The stubborn fever would drop a few points, only to shoot up again until a different round of antibiotics brought it down once more. The doctors kept Steve in ICU as his battle continued, happy that at least his ankle and collarbone were healing as expected. The 5-0 team was taking turns keeping an eye on Steve and try to communicate with him when he was awake. Kono had insisted on an eight hour shift once she was back, forcing Danny to get some sleep and visit his daughter.

Four days later Steve's fever finally lowered and stayed down for twenty-four hours. That encouraged them to move Steve to a regular room and more comfortable furniture for his loyal ohana. Grover was the one keeping an eye on Steve as the other three handled a case that had come their way. He found it a more pleasant experience with the larger, padded furniture provided in the private room. His eyes had been closed briefly when he heard his name spoken softly.

"Lou?"

"Hey Steve, good to see you alert man. How do you feel?" Grover asked as he got up and came over to Steve's bedside.

"I feel better….not so fuzzy," Steve said wearily. He blinked as he looked around the room, assessing his surroundings. He looked at his arm in a sling and then at Lou. "I screwed up, didn't I?"

"Not really, you just misjudged the weather system. Next time you want to battle the elements give someone a heads up," Lou responded.

"I thought I could beat the storm," Steve answered as he remembered what had happened.

"Mother Nature often doesn't play fair," Grover shrugged. He glanced at the monitors behind McGarrett's head. "At least you finally are producing a lot less heat than before. Keep fighting, the team needs you."

"I feel like crap," Steve admitted.

"You should. Why on earth were you trying to out-hike a storm system? What's eating at you man?" Lou asked in concern.

Steve pressed his lips together and shook his head slightly. He was reluctant to share his reasons for his actions.

"Hey…..I'm not trying to pry but I guarantee you will be hearing the same questions from both Chin and Danny. I won't even speculate how Kono may attempt to extract the information from you. She is one determined woman."

Steve smiled weakly, knowing just what Lou meant.

"I was just looking for an activity to take my mind off things. That storm wasn't supposed to hit for hours." He paused before plunging ahead with his confession. "I'm worried about Catherine. There hasn't been any word from her for some time. It's not like her."

"We suspected it was something like that," Lou acknowledged. He let out a sigh as he rubbed one large hand over his face. "I wish I could help you out there man but I don't have the connections to find her." He noted the quick flash of pain that crossed Steve's face only to quickly be shut down. "Hey Steve, Catherine is a smart, talented woman. I'm sure she just isn't able to send a message through safe channels. She'll get in touch as soon as she can."

"You're a good friend Lou," Steve informed him quietly. "I hope you're right. I'm just tired of losing people."

Lou stepped closer and rested a hand on Steve's good shoulder. There were no words that would make McGarrett feel any better but he could show he was there to support him. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a phone.

"The doctors said you could have this now that you were feeling better. Kono had to program a new one since yours didn't survive your tumble down the hill," Lou said as he placed it on the tray next to Steve. "Kono did comment that she can program it in her sleep. I guess I should have questioned her early on if I wanted to know your secrets."

Steve grinned as he shook his head.

"Sorry Lou, Kono only knows my basic contacts. I always have to put in the classified ones myself. Thanks for bringing me this though," he replied. It was nice to be on a lighter topic. He was comfortable talking to Lou but discussing his personal worry for Catherine was still unsettling. Certain subjects were difficult for Steve to share. "Thanks Lou."

"No problem Steve. Now if you don't mind…I have one other piece of advice for you. You and Danny need to have a talk," Lou stated seriously.

"Danny and I are fine," Steve said, his expression becoming a bit stiff. "What do we need to discuss?"

"You are aware that the man tends to speak first and think second, right? He's been worried sick about you and has been spending most of his free time sitting here watching you sleep. He was afraid for you when we were searching the trail and that worry exploded in unintended words. Give the man a break and share some of those concerns that are weighing you down. Partners do that," Lou said earnestly.

"Are you Dr. Phil now?" Steve muttered.

"No I am not. I am just a guy who is able to see both sides of this situation and I happen to know that you are are best friends. You just aren't the best at communicating with each other," Lou pointed out.

Steve stared for a moment at Lou and finally nodded. He then turned his head away, staring at the wall, his mind mulling the man's words over. He wasn't angry with Danny. His memory of his rescue was a bit spotty but he did remember Williams' angry rant about him needing a keeper. The words had stung and just once he wished that Danny could understand how he dealt with the problems in his life and just accept them. He didn't know how to explain his reasons for the moves he made or how deeply his military training influenced him. Waiting for Danny to understand him was tiring at times.

"I'm just saying that if you trust the man with your physical well-being then you can probably trust him with your emotional well-being too. If he has trouble understanding how you do things…..teach him," Lou advised.

This time Steve really did smile.

"I see your point," he acknowledged. "Thanks."

"I knew you would see things my way," Lou smirked. "You are a smart man McGarrett, you'll find a way to talk to your partner." He looked around the room. "I need some coffee, all this advice giving has made me thirsty. I'll be back later."

"Okay," Steve nodded as Lou left the room. He had to admit that the big man made sense because he really didn't try to explain his actions to Danny most of time. Navy training was all he knew and had been the way he had lived most of his life but how was Danny supposed to understand that? His partner's childhood was light years apart from what Steve had experienced since his dad sent him away. Lou was right, he and Danny deeded to work on their communication skills. It was time for Steve to make the effort to bridge the gap.

*H 5-0*

Outside Steve's room, Lou paused and brought out his own phone. He quickly placed a call to Williams.

"Hey Danny, are you busy?" he asked when Williams answered.

"Nope. We caught the creeps that were ripping off tourists by posing as cabdrivers. They didn't even put up a fight when we confronted them," Danny replied. "How's Steve?"

"He's awake. I think now would be a very good time for you to stop by if Chin and Kono can spare you," Lou suggested.

"Did he say something?"

"You know McGarrett, he's "Mr. Stoic" and he's pretending that nothing is wrong in his life. How about you come here and talk to your partner?"

"Won't he open up to you?" Danny asked unable to conceal the hurt tone in his voice.

"He needs his partner," Lou stated emphasizing the word partner.

Danny paused and then spoke.

"I'll be right there."

"Good, I'm heading to the cafeteria for coffee and some awful food. Let me know when you two get things settled."

"Thanks Lou," Danny said gratefully and hung up.

Lou smiled as he pocketed his phone, pleased that he had gotten things rolling with the two men. He was no doctor but he couldn't help thinking McGarrett would heal more rapidly if he could unload some of the worries he carried on his shoulders.

*H 5-0*

Hurrying through the hospital hallways, Danny wondered just what mood he would find McGarrett in. He slowed as he reached the door to the room, not sure he had the right words to get Steve to open up. His friend had a habit of keeping his feelings locked down and then he plunged into solitary adventures which Danny had trouble relating to. These last few days sitting with Steve and watching McGarrett fight the infection, had made Danny think about the events that shaped his partner's life. Danny had grown up in a busy, loving family and it was difficult to imagine what Steve's childhood had been like. How rough had it been to believe that your mother had died when you were 15 and then your father sent you far away, separating you from your only sister? It really was amazing that Steve was still able to trust in and believe in ohana.

Squaring his shoulders and deciding that McGarrett should not continue to hide behind a silent wall, Danny opened the door and looked inside. McGarrett was resting, his head slightly elevated, eyes closed and his phone clutched in his left hand.

Quietly, Williams entered the room and moved towards the bed. It was good to see Steve relaxed and not bathed in sweat as he had been for the past days. Steve's eyes flickered open as Danny stopped at his bedside.

"Hey Danny."

"Hello yourself Steven. I hear you are feeling better," Danny replied with a smile.

"A bit. Fever is down," Steve told him, returning the smile.

"Are you trying to call someone babe?" Danny asked indicating the phone in McGarrett's hand.

"Just checking to see if Kono loaded all my contacts," Steve said guiltily.

"You weren't checking for messages?"

Shaking his head, Steve placed the phone on the bed beside him.

"How long has it been since you have heard from her?" Danny asked gently.

"Who?"

"Don't be a goof Steven. Do you realize that you talk while in a feverish state? How long has it been since you've heard from Catherine?" Danny said bluntly. "Talk to me buddy, I know it has you worried."

End chapter.

**Thanks for reading. I wish you all a wonderful new year. It looks like we have Steve and Danny ready to clear the air and that may help our stubborn SEAL to share his concerns from now on.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Stormy State of Mind IX**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii 5-0. I may not own it but I sure do enjoy playing with it.**

**Thank you so much for all the support you have given me. I have enjoyed presenting my story to you and I appreciate all the lovely comments.**

Chapter 9

Steve stared at the opposite wall silently for a moment, considering Danny's question and then met the man's concerned gaze.

"It's been several weeks," he admitted quietly. "She hasn't even returned my texts."

"I'm sorry babe. Maybe she is somewhere where she can't get a signal. It might not be safe for her to use the SAT phone," Danny suggested.

"I realize that but I'm still worried. This is the longest she has been out of touch," Steve answered. His fingers were unconsciously stroking the face of the phone. "She was getting close, the last I heard she felt she had a good lead to Najib."

"Then she's probably really busy, maybe even in hiding," Danny stated. "Catherine is a smart lady, she can take care of herself. Besides…wouldn't we hear….uh…..you know….from the Taliban?" he stumbled over words he didn't want to say out loud.

"Yes, the Taliban likes to brag, I keep telling myself that. They would release a video. When they were holding me they kept demanding to know where she and the boys were," Steve said in a low voice. "If they had her they would broadcast it."

"So there you go," Danny said confidently, his hand covering Steve's and the phone. "They don't have her. She'll call when she's able." He gave Steve's hand a small squeeze. "From now on don't bottle things up, share with us if you're worried. I really do care even when I shoot off my mouth. You had me worried when you were missing and I just can't afford to lose years off my life with that stress. I'm sorry I yelled when you were hurting," he confessed.

Eyes widening in surprise, Steve didn't speak for a moment. As he processed Danny's words a small smile graced his lips.

"So you do love me Danno."

"Yes I do you big jerk," Danny grunted. "You're my partner and my friend. I promise to listen better from now on. It's time to lean on your ohana my friend and trust us."

"I do trust you."

"Then prove it babe," Danny challenged. He squeezed Steve's hand one more time and then stepped away, running his hands through his hair. "Look Steve, I don't understand your military training, I was trained as a cop. From what I know of your Navy career, at least the non-classified parts…..I'm in awe. But you aren't in the Navy anymore babe so you can share with us. You don't need to go it alone."

Steve stared at Danny for a couple of seconds and then grinned.

"Wow."

"That's all you can say….wow? I bare my soul to you and you just say wow?" Danny sputtered.

McGarrett's grin grew wider.

"I love you too Danno."

"But were you listening to me?" Williams demanded.

"Yes Danny," Steve replied, his expression sobering. "I've heard every word. I'm so used to being alone but I do understand being part of the team. I promise I will try to share more personal things if it's important. I will talk to you about Cath from now on."

Danny nodded and gave Steve a weak smile.

"I tried to reach out to Joe White but I think he's avoiding me," he told him. "I was hoping he'd help put me in contact with Catherine."

"Joe can't help Cath, he's pulled all the strings he can there," Steve said resignedly.

"He knows more about your mother than he's letting on," Danny said bitterly.

"He may but he can't make Doris talk to me if she doesn't want to. It appears that my mother can make time to visit the man who wants me dead but she can't bother to call me or Mary," Steve said in disgust.

"I'm really sorry about that," Danny said sincerely. "I can't imagine how betrayed you feel."

"Thanks," Steve said gratefully. "I'm not sure what I'd ask her first and if I even want to hear her answers."

"Then we need to find Wo Fat and get our answers there," Danny stated grimly. "Why should we wait for him to find you? Let's go get the bastard and make him talk."

"I've tried to find him…..I've called in favors but no luck. The man's like smoke," Steve sighed. "Unless we catch a break we'll have to wait for him to make contact."

Danny grabbed a chair and shoved it closer to Steve. He sat down as Steve raised the head of his bed a bit more.

"I really need to get out of here," McGarrett declared.

"What did the doctors say?" Williams enquired.

"They want to keep me for a few more days but I don't know why. My temp is almost back to normal, the ankle is better and staying in the hospital isn't going to make my collarbone heal any faster," Steve pointed out.

"You still can't put your full weight on that ankle. How will you manage crutches with a bum shoulder?" Danny asked. "I can't see you staying in a wheelchair for very long."

"Whose side are you on?" groused Steve.

"Mine. I'm not up to carrying you on my back if you face plant while on crutches. Please be patient and wait for the doctors to give you the green light. Do it for your own good," Danny pleaded.

"It's just so difficult to sit around."

"You might as well, your truck isn't fixed yet."

"My truck? What happened to my truck?"

"So you remember me yelling at you on the trail but you totally missed the news on how we knew where to search for you?" laughed Williams. "We would not have known you were missing if two meathead kids hadn't boosted your truck, went joyriding and then rolled it. They're lucky to be alive and happen to be right here in this hospital."

"How badly were they hurt?" McGarrett asked seriously.

"Liko got off easy with only some broken bones. His buddy who did the driving has some spinal damage and we don't know if Micha will ever walk again," Danny explained.

Shaking his head, Steve felt sorry for the young men whose mistake had hurt them but most likely saved his life. Stealing cars was a stupid move but he hoped the boy would not be paralyzed for life because of it.

"I may see if I can check on them," he said in a low voice.

A knock on the door interrupted them and Lou stuck his head inside. Sensing that the two men had worked things out, he came inside smiling.

"I could not face the woeful food that the cafeteria produces any longer and the coffee is not much better. You two clear the air?" he asked.

"We talked," Steve acknowledged. "Now I'd like to get out of here."

"Explain to SuperSEAL how he can't handle crutches with an arm in a sling," Danny quickly added.

"So you think you can just hobble out of here on one leg?" Lou asked in amusement. "Why can't you just relax until they say you can leave? We'll hold down the fort for you at headquarters."

"I don't doubt you can carry on without me, I just am ready to leave this place. I'm bored," Steve grumbled.

"Get that ankle right and we'll got to bat for you," Danny told him.

"Patience Commander," Lou grinned.

"Okay," Steve gave in with frustration. "I will wait." His eyes darted between the two men.

"Can we believe him?" Lou asked Danny.

"Doesn't matter," Danny grinned. "I know these nurses, they won't be letting our fearless leader out of here unless he can stand on his own two feet."

Rolling his eyes, Steve began lowering the head of his bed.

"Get out of here. You two are giving me a headache," he growled.

"Steve, I'm sure they'll spring you soon," Lou told him. "I'm going to check in with Chin and Kono before heading home for some real food."

"Sounds good Lou," Steve replied as the big man waved and left the room. He looked at Danny who was hovering at his bedside. "You don't have to hang around and keep me company. I promise I'll stay put. Have you worked things out with Amber?"

A guilty look crossed Danny's face.

"We talked." He paused and ran a hand down his face. "We're not sure where we're going so we've agreed to slow down a bit. I worry about Grace getting hurt by becoming attached like she did with Gabby," Danny confessed. "We aren't breaking up, just easing back a bit."

Steve nodded, knowing Danny's fears, especially when it came to his daughter's feelings. He did envy the fact that Danny's lady was at least on the same land mass with him. He felt the absence Catherine left in his life even more sharply.

"Take that shot at happiness Danny, you deserve it," Steve encouraged.

"You'll hear from Catherine really soon, I'm sure of it," Danny assured him. "I'd like to stay and keep you company but I have to pick Grace up. She'll be thrilled to know you are feeling better and I'll have to bring her by to visit before you head home," Danny promised.

"I'd like that," Steve smiled.

"Okay. Be good, obey the nurses. Let the ankle heal," Danny admonished. He rose, tapped Steve on the shoulder and left.

Steve relaxed, his eyes closing and feeling more peaceful than he had in some time. All his ghosts and worries weren't gone but he felt secure with his ohana. Moments later he was startled out of his thoughts as his phone rang. Not recognizing the number, he answered.

"McGarrett."

"Hello Sailor," a familiar voice replied.

"Catherine? Is it really you, are you okay?"

"I'm fine Steve. And yes, it's really me. I'm so sorry I've been out of touch. I have a crazy few weeks, constantly dodging the Taliban. But I now know where Najib is. I'm sure I can rescue him," she said, her voice filled with excitement.

"That is great Cath. You had me worried."

"I'm so sorry," she said softly. "How are you?"

"I'm fine," Steve said quickly. He had no wish to burden her with concerns about him when she was so close to her goal. "Please be careful."

"I will be. I know I can do this Steve. These children….it is horrible what they've experienced. I'm doing something important, not just for Najib," she insisted.

"I'm proud of you."

"I miss you," she said just above a whisper.

"Then come home soon, I miss you too," he replied.

"I will when I can. I have to make sure Najib and the others are safe," she answered.

"Okay, take care of yourself."

"I promise. I've got to go Steve, Amir is ready to leave. I'll be in touch as soon as we've freed the boys. I love you," she said breathlessly.

"I love you too Cath. Aloha."

"Aloha Steve," she said and then the connection was broken.

Sadly Steve stared at the phone, torn between relief at knowing she was alive but disappointed that the conversation was so short. He was now forced to wait, praying she would safely complete her mission and come home to him. But he could wait and he trusted that she would rescue those boys.

As he placed the phone back on the bedside tray, a sense of peace settled over him. His friends were here with him and his team had his back. He needed to be open with them and they would see him over the rough patches in his life. Ohana was not always tied to blood and the storm that had raged in his mind was now calmed.

End story.

**So we finish another story. Thank you for sticking with me all the way. I always appreciate the comments you give me, they keep me writing. I hope that you enjoyed it.**


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